Questions from our customers - (SUBMIT YOURS HERE)
- Is this the official Hexco Online Spelling Bee?
- Is this bee only for 8th graders?
- Will the words be taken from Hexco products?
- How does the Kaplan-Hexco spelling bee compare to other online spelling bees?
- How can I watch the spelling bee?
- Why do we need two devices for the written rounds?
- CHALLENGES
1. Is this the official Hexco Online Spelling Bee? - Yes, this is the official Hexco online spelling bee! We expect it will be challenging, fun, and Kaplan Test Prep intends to make the event look very professional and something everyone will be proud to be a part of.
2. Is this bee only for 8th graders? - This bee is for everyone who qualifies according to the age limits listed in the Eligibility section of the rules. Regarding 8th graders scheduled for the 2020 National Spelling Bee getting "priority," this means that we simply reserve the right to pause general enrollment for a few days/weeks to give these 8th graders (who are aging out) a fair chance to apply. For now, though, it's first-come, first-serve, and we hope all who qualify will register!
3. Will the words be taken from Hexco products? - Yes, naturally there will be some Hexco words, and some of the written-round words will be from the provided Bee Study List upon sign up. Oral Round One words will also be on the provided list. However, some words selected for the Pronouncer's List are not in any Hexco products and this follows a similar format of the National Spelling Bee, which has a certain percentage of "offlist" words. Some words in our bee will have never been used in a national spelling bee (that we know of). We're aiming for a challenging, esoteric list of words that hopefully will determine a winner in a reasonable amount of time. That said, we realize that we probably do need to include a few surprises!
4. How does the Kaplan and Hexco spelling bee compare to other online spelling bees? Kaplan Test Prep, a premier provider of education programs and services (NYSE:GHC) will be providing video production, test monitoring, live streaming services, and more. Hexco Inc., DBA Hexco Academic, will select and administer the type of word lists that National Spelling Bee contestants have come to trust and rely on for their studies for 38 years. The collective goal of the two companies is to provide the optimal spelling bee experience possible in spite of the limitations caused by the pandemic. The minimum prizes are as follows and prizes may increase with increased sponsorships:
- Champion - 1st Place: $10,000
- 1st Runner-Up - 2nd Place: $4,000
- 2nd Runner-Up - 3rd Place: $1,500
Finally, a large, stunning trophy will be presented to the winner and medals will be given to the top 50. Sign up early for the chance to appear in some of our YouTube commercials (optional). In summary, we believe that the experience, quality, and fairness of the Kaplan-Hexco online bee will stand on its own. We hope you will join us.
5. How can I watch the spelling bee? The finals will be live streamed on YouTube and the link to watch it will be available on our website before the bee. Join our email list to receive updates as they are available. Don't forget to follow Hexco Academic on social media to learn more!
6. Why do we need two devices for the written rounds? - For the written rounds, the first computer will be used to type in answers and during this time, students will not be able to open another browser. We are utilizing a technology which locks the screen. If a student tries to use another browser, their written test will end immediately. This is one measure to prevent cheating. The second computer/device will be used for two purposes (numbered below) and will need to be logged into Zoom for the entire time. (1) ROOM SCAN: Each student will be asked to scan his/her room with the second device and show the first computer and its computer area; (2) POWER POINT VIEWING: Once all students have visually demonstrated that they have no means of looking up answers or getting answers from outside sources, the proctor will share his/her screen on the second computer which will show a PowerPoint to all students in the virtual room. On the PowerPoint, some visual information will be shown, and the audio for each question will be played twice. Students will have less than one minute to type in their answers on the first device while looking at the second device.
7. CHALLENGES (FOR OUR NEXT SPELLING BEE)- Challenges must be emailed to challenges (at) hexco dot com (spelled out here to prevent crawling and spam). This submission will allow review by a team of judges and must be received before you would have spelled your next word. It is important to note that if the word you spelled is not a word in the official online Merriam-Webster's Dictionary (https://unabridged.merriam-webster.com/subscriber/login), we will not consider the challenge. We will not accept words that do not exist as correct responses. It is one thing to mistake one word for another, it is another thing to spell a word that is not in the dictionary at all. Ultimately, the speller is responsible for asking for ALL word information and minimally for spelling the homonym in question exactly as the homonym would be spelled correctly. If the definition and etymology is given, and your homonym definition and/or etymology matches BOTH, your challenge may be accepted.
